Electrical fitting



July 27, 1937. l K, SCHILUNG 2,088,218

ELECTRICAL FITTING Filed Oct. 25, 1935 Patented' July 27, i937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Y 2,088,218 ELECTRICAL FITTING .K arl Schilling, Schwetzingen; near Mannheim, Germany, assigner to Stotz Kontakt G. m. b. Il., Mannheim-Neckaran, .Germany Application october es', 198s, .serial-No. 46,275 In Germany November l, 1934 7 claims. (ci. 247428) This invention relates to electric attachments or ilttings, and especially to current. v,take-olf It is customary to so constmt such devi that. by means of a plug inserted into a plug- I box sunk into the ground, several current-using rent. Moreover, they are quite incapable of use out in the openfoneisewhere they may beqsubjected to the-action ofthe elements,water. wind, air or ilre, vor sunheatr-and. Have hence beenusable only indoors, as in dwelling rooms,

f ,o factories, and the like.

It is .one of the chiel obiects of the pres t invention to provide a large, heavy-duty curre t take-olf device which, withal, will not be cumbersome or have -this complex, delicate construc- 2 tion and will be quickly transportable and connectibie 'and disconnectible; and which will be l quite well adapted iorfduty in the open, remxiin-v ing out-doors exposed to all the elements, yet

will never iam or become inoperative due to v so deterioration caused by exposure and weather- 'Ihe other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made manifest as the construction, .and rule of action of thecinvention are set forth hereinafter. v

The presently-preferred embodiment of the inr vention is shown by Iway of example in the accompanyins drawing, but it is to .he understood that the invention is limited in its eitecuticn only o by the scope, of the suis-joinedclaims.l In the drawins-l Fig. 1 is a vertical, broken section,l partly in elevation, of the assembly, and

Fig. 2 is a section of anotherv part of the inventiorn f 1 The structure shown in the drawing comprises a two-part casing, a, b, adaptedto be sunlr in the ground. In there is rotatably mounted a`,switchlike parte, pressed by coil springsd against a flange `e of the casing-half a. vIn thegroup c is' an insulation-member f, having plug-bushings g closedat the bottom. The lower part of the member f/is formedas a switch-member cooperating with a compleinen4I tai-y stationary switch-part h. f

' as'shown, an

In the main casing (a, bl there is provided ac connecting terminal, or binding post, i, the upper end of which is segregated from the rest of the article by aseparateicover i forming a connection-making space, k. In this space, the underground lead-in cable, not shown, comes in through the ground-ends there, and is bound to the post., From the post i, circuit wires m lead switch contacts n. i The member b is of a totally impervious mate 10 rial, imperviously joined to part a, and defining a space n winch is therefore rendered completely and permanently watertight and never admits any moisture from outside.

The member a is formed with annular pro- 15 Jections o adapted to lie over complementary annular ilangesor projections r on the central member'p when inserted and rotated slightly.

-acting in the manner of a bayonet Joint, whereby the central member or carrier is secured against 20 unwanted removal'.

'rire bottom pei-t or the carrier p, is fornire-i es `\a skirt or pipe-socket 2, which proiectsover the plug pins t and protects them from damage.

There isalso provided, in the switching part c, an -25 approximately annular collar 3, which projects over-the plug bushings a. The members 2 and J serve for reciprocally guiding each other; the collar l serves additionally to protect the plus bushingsxoirom any water which may tend to 30 flow in.

The carrier p is iilled radially with a mass ot insulation, s, into which plug pins t are set. From these,cablesuruninapipevtothetopw of the carrier p. This top has a. cap in the form 3 5 of a handle givingfthe whole somewhat of a T-shape. VThe handle is adapted to be seized in inserting the plug and in switching on. 'Ihe head opens downwardly, and a pluralityI or currentlead-oif devices, n, in the forni@ preferably 40 of screw or snap receptacles or sockets, are arrangedraround the interior periphery thereof,

each is adapted to receive an in- V serted plug on the end of a c able to the currentconsuming device. By this garrangemenh though 45 it constitutes also a convenient handle. etc., the joint is absolutely protected from rain, snow, dirt. etc. o When the system is not in use .and the carrier ie lienoe'dleteohedem lying in storage. .the 50v ground-receptacle is .adapted to receive a cover I u, having a locking device z of the 'bayonet-Joint type, so constructed. and arranged that when the cover y is set down onto the plug receptacle and As an additional precaution, if desired, means are provided for receiving an ordinary tumbler-lock operated by a key to prevent unauthorized use oi' the current supply. I

In using the article and the system, receptacles a, b, are located at all desired points in an assembly-field, street square, city-section, an as sembly hall, or the like. `When not in use, they are rendered inaccessible by' means of the double locked cover y. When current is to be taken oil, the cover is removed and the carrier p in the top part is inserted into the plug-receptacle. This brings the circuit-connectors q and t together, whereupon the carrier p is rotated to lock it, simultaneously closing the switch h. The usual cables having a plug-fixture on one end and a current-consumer on the other, are inserted by their plug-end into the sockets x.

It desired, an ammeter can be arranged in shunt in either the casing a, b, or the carrier p, to ascertain, at this end, the true current consumption. 'I'he casing parts, a, b, can conveniently be made oi stainless iron or ceramics, and artincial insulating materials. The top part w, and part a, oi' the carrier can well be made o! cast iron. and the pa'rt v oi' seamless, drawnpipe. It desired, however, the whole article can be made in one piece, of an artiilcial compositionmaterial, or o! a ceramic material.

I claim:

1 Electrical distribution device comprising al covered housing adapted to be sunk into the ground to be iiush therewith and containing water-tight enclosed terminals for connection with a ground cable, a switch electrically connected with said terminals and having its contacts water-tight enclosed in said housing, electrical coupling elements connected 'with said switch, a clutch member mechanically connected with the actuating member oi' said switch, a movable plug-like adapter composed of a tube having an insulating body in its lower end, electrical coupling elements mounted on said body and engageable with the aforesaid coupling elements of said housing, a laterally expanded hollow head closing theother end ii' said tube,"a plurality oi' sockets arranged in said head, conductors within said tube `connecting said sockets with the coupling elements of the adapter, a clutch mem# ber on the adapter engageable with the clutch member in said housing, and means for interlocking said adapter and said housing whereby said switch is simultaneously actuated to close the circuit. n

2. Electrical distribution device comprisingfas covered housing adapted to`be sunk into the ground to be'iiush therewith and containing water-tight enclosed terminals for connectionVV hollow head closing the other end ci said tube,

a plurality of sockets arranged in said head and electrically connected with said plugpins, a device ior locking said adapter in said housing and means interconnected vwith saidlocking device for actuating said switch to close the circuit in dependency from the function of said locking device.

3. Electrical distribution device comprising a covered housing adapted to be sunk into the ground to be flush therewith and containing water-tight enclosed terminals ior connection with a ground cable, a switch electrically con nected with said terminals and having itsV com tacts water-tight enclosed in said housing, an insulation member forming part oi the-actuating member of said switch, contact sockets mounted on said insulation member and connected with the contacts oi said switch, an -annular collar concentricaily surrounding and xed to said insulation member. said collar projecting toward the opening of said housing and forming an annular recess between itself and said insulation member, a lateral projection on said collar forming a clutch member, a locking device forming part o! said housing, a movable plug-like adapter composed of a tube having an insulating body in its lower end, plug pins engageable with the aforesaid contact sockets of said housing, an apron formed by said tube surrounding said plug pins and disposed to intrude the aforesaid annular recess, an annular iiange iixed to said tube and interlockable with said housing locking device and having a clutch member engageable with the aforesaid clutch member of the housing. a laterally expanded hollow head closing the other end of said tube, a plurality oi sockets arranged in said head and electrically connected with said plug pins, said switch being actuated to close the circuitv by the interlocking of said clutch member.

4. An enclosed receptacle for installation in the ground to be flush therewith, adapted to receive a movable plug-like adapter to be introduced in vertical direction, comprising a housing having three compartments, one having an inlet for a ground cable and containing terminals tor the connection of said cable and a separate lwater-tight cover for said compartment, the second of said compartments containing a switch, a separate rotatable cover forming the actuating member of said switch, an insulation member, electrical coupling elements engageable with said plug-like adapter and being mounted on said insulation member and connected with the contacts oi said switch, the third of said compart- 1 ments having an open-air outlet designed to receive a removable cover and containing meam for mechanically coupling said rotatable cover with said plug-like adapter, the said three compartments being accessible only through said open-air outlet.

5. A 'water-tight enclosed plug-like adapter for insertion into a receptacle installedon the ground comprising an insulating body, plug pins on said body, a tube containing in one of its endl said insulating bodyvand having a length so as to rise a considerable distance above ground, a laterally expanded hollow h ead closing the other end of said tube, a plurality oi sockets situated on the bottomside of said head and havin! downwardly inclined socket openings so as to be protected against'rain by the upper part of said head and conductors within said tube connecting said plurality oi sockets with said plug pins.

6. A water-tight enclosed 'T-shaped adapter for insertion into a receptacle installed on the ground, comprising an insulating body, plug pins on said body, a tube containing in one o! its ends `said insulating body and-having a length so al to ri'se aconsiderable distance above ground, a laterally expanded hollow head forming the crossbar oi' the T and closingthe other'end of said tube, a plurality of sockets situated on the bottom side of said head and having downwardly inclined socket openingsso as to be protected against rain by the upper parto! said head and f conductors within said tube connecting said plurality of sockets with said plug pins, rotatable means for locking said adapter in the ground receptacle, the head of said .adapter forming a handle for rotating the adapter. t

7. Electrical coupling device comprising a stationary and a movable member, said stationary member containing a separate water-tight compartment, terminals within said compartment for the connection of a ground cable, a second, separate water-tight compartment, a switch within said second compartment connected with said terminals, electrical coupling elements connected -with said switch, said movable member containing an insulating body, electrical coupling elements on said body engageable with the aforesaid coupling elements, a .plurality of sockets adapted to receive each a separate plug, said sockets being spaced a considerable distance apart from said insulating body and mechanically connected therewith by a support, conductors within said support connecting said sockets and said coupling elements on said insulating KARL BCHILLING. 

